A defining feature of the second Trump administration has been its treatment of immigrants.

President Donald Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations has been a top priority since his inauguration, and in the year since, it’s been hard to keep up with all the escalating news stories related to the targeting of immigrants: arrests, detentions, surveillance, even shootings.

At the same time, mutual aid and community defense efforts have been growing. And like elsewhere in the country, it’s all been happening here in the Pacific Northwest.

So this week, we’re collaborating with the Northwest News Network to bring together three reporters who cover immigration in Oregon and Washington to help us get a sense of how immigrants are being affected across our region.

Joining us to share their reporting are Holly Bartholomew, OPB’s suburban communities reporter and a Report for America corps member; Gustavo Sagrero, KUOW’s race, identity and immigration reporter; and Johanna Bejarano, a freelance reporter for the Northwest News Network and former Northwest Public Broadcasting reporter.

Watch the video above for an extended version of our conversation.

Stories discussed in this week’s podcast include:

Oregon congresswoman questions legitimacy of Gresham family’s detention, OPB

‘This community is not the enemy’: Hillsboro teachers form neighborhood ICE watch, OPB

Underground mutual aid group helps feed Hillsboro’s immigrant families in hiding, OPB

Issaquah on edge after ICE arrest outside preschool, KUOW

As reports of ICE emerge in Seattle suburbs, neighborhood watches take shape, KUOW

Judge rules ICE unlawfully detained a Seattle man. He’s not alone, KUOW

Secrecy and enforced disappearances: WA human rights group sounds alarm about ICE, KUOW

ICE stops Native American actress Elaine Miles in Redmond, KUOW

ICE deportations leave empty seats at graduation ceremonies in Washington state, KUOW

The impossible choice: How immigration enforcement is affecting Pacific Northwest farmworker families, NWPB, Yakima Herald-Republic

Elección imposible: Cómo la aplicación de leyes migratorias está afectando a las familias de trabajadores agrícolas en el Pacífico Noroeste, NWPB, Yakima Herald-Republic

Yakima organization urging city leaders to turn off Flock traffic cameras, NWPB

This episode was produced in partnership with the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.

Listen to all episodes of The Evergreen podcast here.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/23/northwest-immigration-crackdown-the-evergreen/